Hayward Fault at Fremont's Central Park EarthCache
Hidden : 6/5/2007
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

This cache will guide you on a short (about 0.6 mile) hike along the Hayward Fault as it crosses Fremont's Central Park.

Hayward fault is one of the most dangerous faults crossing the San Francisco Bay Area. Here is some risk estimate and earthquake damage expectations for the Bay Area. Pretty scary, isn't it?

The cache consists of several waypoints, listed below. In order to claim this cache you have to e-mail me the answers of at least two of the questions, and if you can, attach to your log a couple of pictures of yourself or your GPS on at least two of the waypoints. I would also appreciate pictures of Waypoint 4 - check below to see why.

In order to avoid manually entering each waypoint coordinates, you can download all the waypoints from here:

    [ LOC Waypoint File ]
    [ GPX eXchange File ]
    [ KMZ Google Earth File ]

You may find it helpful if you print this description and read it as you walk along.


WAYPOINT 1:     N 37° 32.532 W 121° 57.716

The first waypoint is at the posted cache coordinates. This is a small street called Rockett Drive. When you arrive, you will notice that part of the street is on a higher level than the rest. The waypoint will guide you to the place where the change of elevation happens.

You are now located on the line of the Hayward fault. The drop in the terrain is the so called fault scarp - as the time passes one side of the terrain moves with respect to the other side. Although most of this movement is in horizontal direction, the elevation of both sides can also change over the years - this is what is happening here.

Somewhere around the middle of the inclined section of Rockett Dr search for the place where the sidewalk curb is bent. When you find it, notice the cracks crossing the road. All those are caused by the fault creep.

QUESTION 1 TO CLAIM THE CACHE: Follow the fault (look for cracks) as it goes right under a small apartment building. E-mail me the number of the apartment the fault goes under (it is a dark brown door with a small 2-3 inch number on it, visible from the street).

When you are done with this waypoint, start walking in NW direction along Paseo Padre Pky (toward Waypoint 2). Along the way, note the fault scarp on your left - all those houses with the steep driveways are built right on the fault line.


WAYPOINT 2:     N 37° 32.724 W 121° 57.906

There is a long one-story building at this place. The fault goes right under it, along the length of the building. One can only wonder why they put the building there, and not a few feet away...

QUESTION 2 TO CLAIM THE CACHE: What kind of building is this (is it ranger station, or community center, or what)?

After you are done, you can continue in the same direction toward the third waypoint.


WAYPOINT 3:     N 37° 32.789 W 121° 57.961

Another bent curb and cracked road. Once you know what you are looking for you should find it easy to follow the Hayward fault here.

QUESTION 3 TO CLAIM THE CACHE: What color is the cracked curb?

I hope you are not bored by this cache by now. The next waypoint is worth the trip, believe me... So, if you want, you can try to find the next waypoint without the help of the GPS - just continue following the direction of the fault until you cross the next street, just a few hundred feet away.


WAYPOINT 4:     N 37° 32.885 W 121° 58.059

Here you will see a spectacular offset in the curb. Although the fault usually creeps slowly about 5mm per year, in a major earthquake the two sides can slip with as much as several feet. This road will have a nice sharp turn then. Also, think what would happen to all those houses that you passed on the way here...

If you can, take a picture of the curb and upload it to the cache gallery. If you compare your pictures with the ones from the cache gallery and you will see the fault moving! In May 2006 I took a picture at this spot - you can clearly see the difference.

QUESTION 4 TO CLAIM THE CACHE: Approximately how much are the two parts of the curb offset?

If you are still interested, you can continue toward the last waypoint.


WAYPOINT 5:     N 37° 32.924 W 121° 58.092

The fault is behaving slightly different here. Notice that the curb is not just offset, but the two parts are actually spreading apart. Further evidence for this are the cracks that look as if the asphalt is sinking. You can trace the cracks to the other side of the parking lot, where you will see the same gap in the curb.

QUESTION 5 TO CLAIM THE CACHE: Approximately how wide is the gap in the curb on the place of the last waypoint?


Once again, to claim the cache you DON'T HAVE to answer all the questions. E-mailing me answers of any two questions is enough.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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